We’re almost halfway through the second trimester, and students may be finding themselves in a position to have an academic comeback.

After a fast three weeks wedged between Thanksgiving and Christmas break, some Williston students need to turn their grades around. A late night with no studying could result in a bad grade on a test, which will hurt you later on in T2. Although those three weeks went by quickly, for some students, they did damage.

Falling behind in your studies and receiving bad grades can result in the need for an increase in effort, meeting with teachers, and doing overtime; this is called an academic comeback. Students can use extra help and visits to resource centers to achieve such a feat.

Casey Connor, a junior from Chatham, NJ., has stayed on track since coming back from break.

“My grades have not dipped at all. However I am going to push even harder to keep them where they are at, since it’s only going to get harder from here,” Casey said. “December was an easier month because we didn’t have a book to read, and just a speech. So I think that’s why my grades are so good.”

Casey currently has a GPA of 3.9.

Teddy Devoe, a post-graduate student from Marshfield, Mass., views his academic performance as an extension of athletics.

“I just need to stay focused and get my work done during study hall. You know, it’s just a big game and you got to play within the lines to succeed,” he said.

In an article on Harvard’s official website, Samia Afrose, a Harvard student, shares the advice she wishes she was given as a freshman.

“It is important to be sure to pace yourself, balance out your classes, and not overwhelm yourself with extracurricular activities,” she said.

Sarah Sawyer, a 10th and 11th grade English teacher, believes it is important to connect with your teachers.

“I see kids all the time who wish they would have worked harder in December,” she said. “I think it is a good opportunity to forge connections with your teachers and learn how to ask for help, which is vital for a learning experience at Williston.”

Lucas Guay, a junior from Westfield, Mass., is currently struggling in two classes, physics and English. However, he has confidence he will reach his desired grades once again.

“I really need to make an academic comeback! I am going to work extra hard to get my grades up,” he said. “I am going to make sacrifices, such as less video games, phone, and social time.”

Laura Vachet, the Director of Academic Support, helps students struggling academically. She believes with hard work and her help, students can academically come back.

“I give them support through skills, hack, systems and encouragement to help them make get back on track to reach their goals,” she said.

She knows many seniors stopped trying so hard once applications were submitted to colleges.

“Some students took their foot off the gas in December after a challenging, locked-in T1,” she said. “Seniors who submitted applications or already received college acceptances were impacted the most because they felt burnt out after going hard to produce their best grades in T1.”

She recommends consistent effort to each class to get the results you want.

“If you felt academically exhausted and chose to ‘coast’ in the first weeks of the new trimester, you should have at least made sure your ‘speed’ was consistent,” she said.

Getting into a routine of working hard everyday in every class works best.

“If your efforts were weak and your grades decreased, focus on high stakes assignments and prioritize your preparation moving forward,” she said. “Study more than one day in advance for big tests, and do assignments the day they are assigned, not the night before they are due.”

She says if nothing she suggested works, then you can come see her for extra help.

“Be kind to your future self by planning ahead rather than putting off and panicking in the present. Eager to make an academic comeback? Come see me!” she said.